Improvement in printing-telegraphs



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. VAN HOEVENBEBGH. Printing-Telegraph.

N 204,516. Patented June 4,1878.

llllllll 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. VAN HOEVENBERG-H. Printing-Telegraph.

No.- 204,516. Patented Jun/g4, 1878. G26 17 /7. Q3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY VAN HOEVENBERGH, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN PRlNTlNG-TELEGRAPHS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 204,516, dated June 4,1878; application filed December 24, 1877.

[lo all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY VAN HOEVlCN- BERGH, of Elizabeth, in thecounty of Union and Stateof New Jersey, have invented an Improvement inPrinting-Telegraphs, of which the following is a specification:

In this printingtelegraph instrument the escapement is expansible, andthe unison is efl'ected by an increase in electric tension on the lineovercoming a spring and allowing a clock-movement to turn the type-wheelto unison. The printing is efl'ected by a mechanical movement derivedfrom increase of the magnetic force. The paper is fed by a clockmovementthat is brought into action when the printing is efl'ected.

The principal portions of the trains of gearing are separate from thetype wheel and printing devices, so that in case of any portions of theprinting-instrument becoming disarranged the same can be removed withoutremoving the trains of gearing, cord-barrels, or weights, and anotherinstrument substituted, thus greatly facilitating repairs andadjustments.

Intheline connections, illustrated by the diagram, Figure 1, there isincluded a rheostat, a, which intensifies the action of the current,rendering the instruments more prompt and reliable in operation; and theunison is efl'ected by short-circuiting this resistance a by closing thekey 12 in the shunt around this resistance, thus throwing upon the linethe unresisted battery-power to operate in the instrument, ashereinafter described.

At the sending-station there is a transmittin g-instrument of anysuitable character. It is, however, to operate the printing-instrumentsin the line I, by changing the polarity of the current alternating thesame and to the line.

The key or pole-changer c alternately connects the copper or zinc ofmain battery M B to the earth and the opposite pole to the line. Thiskey illustrates the pole-changer of any suitabletransmitting-instrument.

The press-battery P B is not, in the mainline circuit, in the normalcondition; but when the key at is-moved, the connection 2 to M B isbroken and the connection 3 closed, so that the additional battery-poweris placed on the line to effect the printing, as hereinafter shown.

The two electro-magnets f f of the printin g-telegraph instrument havetheir cores facin g each other, and between them is the polarizedarmature i of the escapement rock-shaft.

Fig. 2 is an elevation, with the type-wheel partially removed. Fig. 3 isan elevation of the feed-roller escapement, showing, also, by

' dotted lines the train of gearing. Fig. 4 is a detached view of theescapement; and Fig. 5 is a section of the cord-barrel stop.

The train of gearing to the shaft 0 of the type-wheel g is of ordinarycharacter, and tends to revolve the same in the direction of the arrow.The escapement-wheel h is allowed to revolve gradually as the pallets 45 of the escapement k are moved by the rock-shaft and armature i, itbeing understood that this armature is polarized, and that the currentis alternated in polarity. The type-wheel hence will be set as usual;but when the rheostat a is short-circuited by the key b, therebyallowing the whole force of main battery to act on the line, the magnetf exerts increased power and carries the pallet 4 clear of theescapement-teeth at that side; and the hinged pallet 5 of the escapementhaving been arrested by the adjustable stop 6 before the magnetic energyis increased, that pallet 5 is also carried awayfromtheescapement-teethinconsequence of the joint of the pallet above the stop6 being carried farther toward that stop, so that the pallet itself ismoved in the other direction away from the escapement-wheel. Thisliberates the esca-pement and. allows the typewheel to revolve instantlyto unison, the stoppin or hook 10 on the escapement-wheel being arrestedby the pin. 11 on the pallet 4.

As soon as the unison-key b is liberated and the shunt broken,theline-circuit passes through the resistance a, the power of the magnet fis lessened and the spring 12 draws the pallets toward each other totheir normalzposition, and the type-wheels can be set, as before. Inthis operation the polarity is not changed, and there is no risk of anyfalse movement in the instrument. a

The printing-pad a is upon an arm, 0, and cross-shaft 14; and at theback of the instrument are the toe-pieces 15 and 10; and p is alatch,hinged to the lever-arm g from the rockshaft 17, and s s arearmatures adjacent to the sides of the cores of the electro-magnets fand f.

The tension of the spring 19 is such that the armatures s s are notmoved until the press lever d throws in the increased battenv-powcr.When this occurs the latch p acts against the toe 15 and moves the sameand the rock-shaft 14, and, by the arm 0, gives a pressure of the paperupon the type. At this moment the toe 16, acting against theadjusting-screw 20, lifts the latch 11 and disengages it from the toe15, so that thearmatures s, lever q, and latch 1) may move stillfarther. 3y this means the printing is effected by pressure, and thepower being disconnected the pressure falls away,

even though the magnetism may still be operative on the armature aml thepaper is freed from the type-wheel.

The paper is fed by the clockwork. The roller t is upon the arbor 23 ofthe train of gearing from the barrel 1*, and the paper is pressed tothis roller by the roller 1" upon a spring-arm.

The arbor 23 is geared to the arbor 24, and this latter has at the backend the eseapementwheel 26, and upon the lever q are theescapement-pallets 28 29. As the lever 1 is moved, as aforesaid, thepallet 29 comes above the tooth of the escapementwheel 26 before thetooth on the other side is separated from the pallet 28. Hence there isbut a slight motion of the paper as the printing is performed; but asthe armature and lever are brought back to their normal position thepallet 29, clearing the tooth of the escapement-wheel, allows the sameto turn, and the pallet 28 arrests the movement.

The parts are proportioned so that the paper will be fed a properdistance each progressive movement of the escapement-wheel 26.

The trains of gearing receive motion from the barrels a u', and I amenabled to use one Weight, 10, by employing a pulley on that weight anda cord passing from one barrel to the other, the ends being attached tothe respective barrels, so that the weight is raised by winding eitherbarrel.

The weight can be twice as heavy as usual without increasing thewinding-power. 1 have shown two pulleys, 30 31, on the weight, and acentral pulley, 32, so that the weight has to be heavier and itsvertical movement less.

With this arrangement one barrel may be wound too much, not having cordenough for the otherbarrel. I makeuse of a ratchet-wheel, 'v fixed tothe first wheel a of each train of gearing, and insert a spring-dog, 1,within each barrel, with the head passing through the cord portion ofthe barrel, near the end thereof, so thatwhcn the revolution of thebarrel brings the spring-dog beneath the cord, the pressure of thelatter forces the dog toward the teeth upon the ratchet-wheel, and thecontact therewith prevents the barrel being wound any farther.

The frame-work or plates of the train of gearing are separated at theline 35, the upper part B carrying the magnets, the type-wheel, the printin g mechanism, unison, and other parts of the instrument that are themost subject to injury or derangement; and the lower part C carries thebarrels and heavier wheels of the train.

By this construction the upper part of the instrument can be removed bysimply taking out the screws .36. (see Figs. 1 and 3,) leaving theweight and connections intact. This effects considerable saving in time,and allows of another upper portion of the instrument being substituted,and the defective instrument taken to the shop for cleaning, adjustment,or repairs.

It is to be understood that the instruments are to bemade to gage, so asto be interchangeable. Stops or catches may be applied to the portionsof the trains of gearing remaining upon the table D, so as to preventthe weight running down when the upper part of the instrument isremoved.

\Vhen the instrument is charged for effecting the unison, the polarizedarmature is drawn into contact with the cores of its electro-magnet, andthereby the polarity is increased and the risk of the armature becomingdemagnetized is avoided. It is found in practice that the armature isliable to become demagnwed; but by contact with the cores, as aforesaid,I find that the magnetism is promoted; and, as the instruments are oftenbrought to unison, the polarity of the armature is constantly renewed.

If an increase of battery-power alone is made use of to efl'ect theprinting, the magnets do not discharge to their normal condition withsuflicient rapidity, and errors sometimes arise from this cause inprinting-telegraphs. By my arrangement of circuits, the key d thatbrings the battery P B into circuit is not a circuitpreservingkey; butthe circuit of the main battery is broken in bringing in and throwingout the press-battery. Hence there is sufiicient cessation ofbattery-power to reduce the magnetism of the electro-magnets to theproper condition.

I am aware that in Letters Patent No. 180,700 a spring-escapement ismade use of to regulate the movement of the type-wheel, and theescapement-wheel is liberated to allow it to be turned by the clock-workto bring the typewheel to unison; but a separate electro-magnet wasrequired to operate the yielding pallet. In my instrument the additionalmagnet is dispensed with, and the instrument is rendered more simple andreliable.

I claim as my invention 1. In a printing-telegraph driven by atrain ofgearing, the side plates or frames made in two parts, the upper partbeing removable, and carrying the magnets, type-wheel, and printingmechanism, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. 7

2. In a printing-telegraph instrument, the combination, with the twotrains of gearing, the type wheel, and impression and paper-feedingdevices, of one actuating cord and weight, acting upon the respectivebarrels of the trains, and a spring-dog and ratchet to determine theamount of cord wound upon each barrel, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with the type-wheel, escapement-wheel, and pallets,the stop 6, that arrests the hinged pallet 5, and the electromagnet f,and armature, the parts being arranged, substantially as specified, toliberate the escapement from the pallets by an increase of poweriin theelectro-magnet f, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination with the printing tele- HENRY VAN HOEVENBERGH.

Witnesses:

HAROLD SERRELL, GEo. T. PINOKNEY.

